inclusive excellence

FOCUS summer program marks a decade of engaging middle-school girls in STEM

Colleen Rich — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 20:36:39 +0000

FOCUS summer program marks a decade of engaging middle-school girls in STEM Colleen Rich Wed, 08/14/2024 - 16:36

��ӽ紫ý’s popular FOCUS outreach program marks its 10th anniversary this summer and continues to expand its science and tech immersion programs.

From left, FOCUS Camp founders Danielle Craddock, Kelly Knight, and Padmanabhan Seshaiyer with the 2024 campers. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

FOCUS stands for Females of Color and those Underrepresented in STEM, and when the camp is in session, the middle schoolers and their counselors can be seen moving around ��ӽ紫ý’s Fairfax Campus in their brightly colored t-shirts as they immerse themselves in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities from coding and building a robotic arm to viewing distant planets at the Observatory.

For the past decade, FOCUS Camp day programs have invited rising sixth- through eighth-graders to participate in interactive and hands-on workshops. The first year brought 18 girls to campus, with support from donors including the Business Women’s Giving Circle of the Community Foundation of Northern Virginia. Since then, the program has served more than 460 campers—filling to capacity each year within hours of opening admission.

The program’s founders include ��ӽ紫ý mathematics professor Padmanabhan Seshaiyer, forensic science professor Kelly Knight, former biology professor Claudette Davis, and ��ӽ紫ý alumna Danielle Craddock, MAIS ’11, the founder of Girls Inspired and Ready to Lead Inc. (GIRL). Knight now leads planning efforts on behalf of the College of Science’s STEM Accelerator Program and has remained steadfast in the FOCUS mission to introduce young women of color to STEM fields and nurture their scientific curiosities.

“We always assess participants the day they begin camp and the day they leave, and it’s truly rewarding to see how much their interest in STEM spikes,” Knight said. “On average, interest rises about 30%, which is huge.”

Professor Karen Sauer and Kelly Knight work with campers to create their own spectrometers. Photo by Eduardo Macedo/Office of University Branding

With the program’s success and an interest from camp alumni wanting to return, organizers expanded in 2018 to also offer the ��ӽ紫ý College of Science FOCUS Academy—a more advanced and immersive college experience for high school students that further expands STEM topics and incorporates college prep, goal setting, and other classes designed to build their confidence, enhance their leadership skills, and support their social and physical wellness. These workshops cover forensic science, chemistry, bioinformatics, mathematics, and astronomy, which also happen to be areas of specialization for ��ӽ紫ý.

“I’ve had participants tell me that being around other young girls of color affected the way they felt about attending a STEM program and helped them feel more comfortable when participating,” said Knight. “It helps them gain the skills and confidence they need when they move on to less inclusive spaces, to know that they can be successful.”

And it’s not only the FOCUS attendees who feel the impact. Knight said the ��ӽ紫ý undergraduate students who serve as counselors feel it too. Some have moved on to teaching careers in STEM subjects, while others have launched their own nonprofits for young girls in STEM.

��ӽ紫ý alumna Jade Kirkland said the FOCUS camp is the highlight of her summer. Kirkland had just finished her first year at ��ӽ紫ý as a forensic science major when she received the email about volunteering at FOCUS. Since then, she’s graduated from ��ӽ紫ý with both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forensic science and now works in a biotechnology lab in Manassas, Virginia. She said she saves her personal time off each year so she can take one week off to come back to ��ӽ紫ý to serve as a FOCUS counselor.

“What brings me back every year is the fact that I get to have an impact on these girls at a young age and let them know that STEM isn’t just for the boys,” said Kirkland, who has worked as a FOCUS counselor since the beginning. “It’s something I didn’t have when I was that age.”

As a FOCUS counselor, Kirkland makes sure each camp participant gets as much out of the week as possible. That includes answering questions in workshops, sharing her own experiences as a forensic scientist, guiding them across the college campus, and ensuring a safe space for them to learn.

FOCUS participants viewed microfossils under a microscope and learned how they are used to investigate past climates and reconstruct ancient ocean conditions. Photo by Eduardo Macedo/Office of University Branding

“I have as much fun participating in the activities as they do, and it’s amazing to watch how they think through things,” said Kirkland, describing a lab she and the campers participated in last year to explore chemistry topics. Each made their own small bottle of perfume. “I get a new perspective of STEM every year through these girls, and it makes me fall in love with science all over again.”

In 2021, the program expanded further to offer FOCUS MOST, led by Seshaiyer, a professional development program for K-12 STEM teachers that encourages the design of STEM workshops for camp participants that can then be brought back to their schools.

“It’s not just the 50 girls coming each summer who are impacted,” said Knight. “It’s these teachers who are now taking methods back to their own schools. Along with the counselors mentoring these young girls who choose to continue to work even after they leave ��ӽ紫ý.”

So, what comes next? Knight said that there is still work to be done. While efforts to increase an interest in STEM for middle school and high school students have been effective, she said more needs to happen to influence representation at the college and early-career levels.

“We need to expand the ecosystem of support for students so that they can continue to thrive in STEM even when they’re in college or at the professional level,” she said. “We’re not seeing enough change in the numbers because there’s not enough support once students approach graduation and enter the workforce.”

The next FOCUS program expansion will consider ways to support women of color at the college level as they navigate the STEM fields and choose what they want to do after they graduate. And Knight said she also wants to extend the program’s reach.

“Thinking bigger about what it means to have impact on not just students local to Virginia, but on a national and international level, I think is going be another next phase for us for sure.”

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Annual Scholarship Dinner recognizes donors and students in an evening of gratitude

Colleen Rich — Thu, 16 May 2024 12:55:10 +0000

Annual Scholarship Dinner recognizes donors and students in an evening of gratitude Colleen Rich Thu, 05/16/2024 - 08:55

“If I was able to meet the people who had given me the scholarship I received? For starters, I would give them a big hug!”

The enthusiasm of ��ӽ紫ý student Dean Johnson, integrative studies major and recipient of the Howard Book Fund Scholarship, brought smiles to faces throughout the dining room of the International Country Club in Fairfax. Johnson’s and two other ��ӽ紫ý scholarship recipients’ experiences were featured as a video finale for an evening where many scholarship recipients were able offer thanks—in person—to the individuals who had made their scholarships possible.

��ӽ紫ý’s Scholarship Dinner brings together the generous individuals who have given to student scholarships with some of the amazing students who have received scholarship support.

“You can tell an event is important based on who shows up,” said ��ӽ紫ý President Gregory Washington. “I’ve counted seven deans here!”

Students, donors, and Mason staff enjoyed an evening of gratitude, with 200 guests in attendance to hear students’ stories of impact.

More than 1,100 scholarships have been awarded in FY 24, totaling more than $3.5 million.

Business Rakibul Alam spoke about his ��ӽ紫ý experience at the event. Photo by Sean Kelley Photography

"This evening represents the power of philanthropy coming to life,” said Trishana E. Bowden, ��ӽ紫ý Foundation president and ��ӽ紫ý’s vice president for advancement and alumni relations. “Your generosity gives students a chance—a chance to learn, a chance to challenge themselves academically, a chance to lead, and an opportunity to immerse themselves in the multitude of perspectives that they see in their peers. Through scholarship support, you bring promising students to the arena, allowing them to grow and advance beyond their own perceived limits.”

Several students spoke to the group about the impact that scholarships had had in their lives. “Receiving scholarship support has not only eased the financial burden of pursuing my degree, but has inspired me to strive for academic excellence and allowed me to actively contribute to student life,” said Rakibul Alam, a business major who is a recipient of the Shrivastava Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship. Alam is an Honors College professional development fellow, part of ��ӽ紫ý’s Student Government, and is a Costello College of Business student ambassador. “I take on these extracurricular opportunities because I believe that I have a responsibility to give back to a place that has already given me so much.”

Several students spoke to the group about the impact that the scholarships had had in their lives. Photo by Sean Kelly Photography

Sumeet Shrivastava, MBA ‘94, hosted the evening’s events. Shrivastava is a leader in the government IT industry and a committed alum, board member, donor, and volunteer for the Costello College of Business and ��ӽ紫ý. His family’s generosity to Mason has made it possible for many students to realize their academic goals.

Shrivastava related the circumstances of his father’s engineering education, which began in India and continued with his master’s degree at the University of North Carolina—a step that was catalyzed through a scholarship. “That scholarship didn’t just fund his education,” said Shrivastava, “it forged connections that would shape the course of his life. Through his studies, he met mentors who believed in his potential, peers who shared his ambitions, and a network of support that pushed him forward.”

Describing his own philanthropy as “an opportunity to be the bridge for someone else’s journey,” Shrivastava encouraged the attendees to forge connections and be the architects of change.

Bowden, too, confirmed the impact of the scholarship she had received during college. “The message behind this act was truly compelling: to realize that someone I had never met believed in what I could achieve. It gave me confidence in my own abilities and potential. You could even say that it inspired my life’s work: bringing such opportunities to other students.”

And she shared a special message with the ��ӽ紫ý students gathered. “Please know how proud we are of you,” she said. “We know how hard you are working and are delighted to be part of your story.”

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A sport for everyone: ��ӽ紫ý Ice Hockey Club builds lasting connections with the community

Sarah Holland — Wed, 15 May 2024 15:05:14 +0000

A sport for everyone: ��ӽ紫ý Ice Hockey Club builds lasting connections with the community Sarah Holland Wed, 05/15/2024 - 11:05

Andrew Nash, BS in Sports Management ’17, MS in Sports Management ’18, has played a lot of sports in his lifetime. Nothing, he says, is like hockey.

Andrew Nash, left, on the ice at the annual charity game. Photo by Matt Ricciardi

“Maybe it’s the travel, or the difficulty of the sport, but it really bonds you together like no other sport I’ve played,” Nash said. “The sense of community is stronger than I ever felt.”

Community is the foundation of the ��ӽ紫ý Ice Hockey Club, a philosophy that extends beyond the barriers of the rink and past the stadium’s aluminum bleachers. In partnership with the Washington Capitals and Prince William County, ��ӽ紫ý Ice Hockey is working to expand access to hockey through an outdoor ball hockey rink right next to their home ice in Prince William Ice Center.

While a fantastic sport, ice hockey can be inaccessible. Players need access to an ice rink and need to be able to skate adeptly; they need full-body padding and a means to transport and care for that equipment; they need to be able to pay club fees, rink fees, and travel fees.

However, ball hockey—also called street hockey—opens the door to opportunity. Players only need sneakers, a stick, and a ball, and you’re ready to play.

“Ball hockey is a fantastic way to expand access to ice hockey,” said Steve Hyjek, former head coach of the ��ӽ紫ý Hockey Club. “It gives more people the opportunity to try the sport, to love the sport, and to become future players or fans.”

Hyjek, who retired from his role as head coach this year at the team’s 2024 charity game, wanted his players to be active and engaged citizens, giving back to their communities long after their time at ��ӽ紫ý has ended.

The annual charity game is one component of that. Prior to the game, for example, players meet with the people for whom they’re fundraising. “I want them to understand who they’re helping, and why we’re helping them,” Hyjek said. “It makes them feel more connected to the cause, and to the community that supports them, but it also makes this act of giving back almost like a muscle memory. So when they graduate, they keep doing it.”

This philosophy is one that has shaped his players’ careers.

During his junior year, Nash got an internship at the Washington Capitals thanks to Hyjek and the other coaches’ connections. Nash has worked for the Capitals ever since, now as the manager for youth hockey development. His job is expanding accessibility of hockey to the Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland community, through off-ice clinics in the form of ball and inline hockey.

“There will always be people who can’t afford to play ice hockey, or for whom an ice rink is too far from them to make regular games and practices feasible, but we don’t want to push them aside and say, ‘you can’t afford it, you’re not close to a rink, so you don’t matter,’ ” Nash said. “The hope with these workshops is that we show kids and families that there are alternatives, and further develop a community for the Capitals through increased interest in the sport.

“Without the community,’ Nash said, “there is no team.”

Steve Hyjek at his final charity game as head coach. Photo by Matt Ricciardi

Mae Whitesides, BA Criminology, Law and Society ’19, managed the team’s social media and website during her time at ��ӽ紫ý. Like Nash, her time in ��ӽ紫ý hockey opened the doors for a career in sports with the Washington Capitals marketing department and, more recently, social media for MLB Network and NHL Network. The dedication to supporting each other and the community was, she said, one of her fondest memories from her time at ��ӽ紫ý.

“The charity game my senior year was standing room only,” she said. “We would not be who we are today if not for that support from the community, and the work people like Steve put into building up our team.”

Hyjek agreed. “When you expand the community of folks who are playing the game or who are interested in the game, it helps the sport. For us, we hope that our work brings more players interested in ��ӽ紫ý and Mason Hockey, or even just more fans.”

This hypothesis has already proven to be true: After spending the day at a local elementary school, teaching kids how to play ball hockey, he’s seen some of those students in the stands of their games, as well as at Learn to Skate clinics. With the new ball hockey rink, he hopes that interest will continue to grow, not just in hockey but in ��ӽ紫ý as well.

“You’re planting seeds,” Hyjek said. “Planting seeds so that ��ӽ紫ý can be on their list when the time comes.”

Hit the ice with ��ӽ紫ý Ice Hockey Club

Find your team with ��ӽ紫ý club sports

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inclusive excellence

Mason film student’s inclusive festival celebrates its second year

Shayla Brown — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 20:27:11 +0000

Mason film student’s inclusive festival celebrates its second year Shayla Brown Fri, 01/05/2024 - 15:27

As a film student at ��ӽ紫ý, Roberto Ferreira De Araujo wanted to celebrate diversity and highlight the full spectrum of experiences represented by the LGBTQ+ community.

During his first semester at Mason in fall 2022, Ferreira De Araujo and two of his classmates created the Here and Queer Film Festival as a final project for KJ Mohr’s FAVS 399 Curating and Programming course.

Roberto Ferreira de Araujo posing with the 'Here and Queer Festival' poster during on screening day. Photo provided.

“Growing up, I didn't see a lot of films with queer characters, and when I did, they always involved crimes, violence, and diseases,” said the film and video studies major. “I struggled to find a film that I really loved, so I attempted to find those films with this festival.”

“Roberto is building a safe and celebratory space for communities at Mason in particular. It comes at a crucial time with the majority of students being in their late teens and early twenties,” said Mohr, who is the director of the Maryland Film Festival and the director of programming for the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in Florida. 

“It's such a crucial moment in one's life to be grappling with these issues and to feel that net of support can be, frankly, a matter of life and death,” she said.

Ferreira De Araujo found inspiration to create the festival after completing an internship with the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art in the summer of 2022, where he was involved in programming films, he said.

“I knew that I wanted to make something around films and showcasing films,” said Ferreira De Araujo, who transferred to Mason from Northern Virginia Community College and is graduating this spring. “I would spend 40 hours a week just watching films and writing notes about it, creating lists of the themes and how would that be presented.”

The first festival was such a success that Ferreira De Araujo decided to hold a second iteration this November in the Johnson Center. “I received such positive feedback [last year] and noticed a strong interest in a second edition. It motivated me to start working on this year's programming,” he said.

The 2023 festival featured short films from all over the world including work from Mason students and faculty, including Djola Branner, director of Mason’s School of Theater, whose film, Mighty Real, was shown at the festival.

“It’s important to me to show more queer films and have more representation. I'm trying to put content out there that I wish I had when I was [younger],” said De Araujo. “These films not only provide entertainment but also contribute to meaningful conversations surrounding queer experiences.”

“I wanted people to [leave the festival] with the assurance that no matter what, they would always have a community out there that celebrates and supports them,” he said.

Additional reporting by Katarina Benson.

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Mason is ‘best of the best’ for LGBTQ+ students

Colleen Rich — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 14:33:14 +0000

Mason is ‘best of the best’ for LGBTQ+ students Colleen Rich Wed, 08/30/2023 - 10:33

��ӽ紫ý is one of only 30 institutions nationwide, and the only one in Virginia, to be awarded a 2023 “best of the best” ranking in Campus Pride’s recently released survey.

The acknowledgment adds to a growing list of accolades for the university for creating a welcoming and supportive campus for students, faculty, and staff, including:

A national No. 7 ranking, and No. 1 in Virginia, for developing high-level support networks for LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff, according to a combined report by Best Colleges and Campus Pride.
A five-star Premiere Campus ranking by the Campus Pride Index.
And a 100% score in the Athletic Equity Index, one of just 19 institutions to receive that distinction in an examination of how NCAA Division I institutions support LGBTQ+ student-athletes.

“Mason is a place where all are welcome, supported, and can find their community,” said Rose Pascarell, vice president for University Life at Mason. “It is important to highlight these rankings to celebrate the students, faculty, staff, and community partners who have made Mason a national leader in this space.”

It doesn’t mean Mason is perfect, said Josh Kinchen, director of Mason’s LGBTQ+ Resources Center, but that “there is active, ongoing, committed work going on across campus.”

“It also helps students, particularly prospective students find us,” Kinchen (he/ze) said of the rankings. “We want them to come here. It’s an opportunity for us to celebrate that and the university’s commitment to doing this work.”

The already extensive work is expanding, Kinchen said.

More than 100 students engaged with new LGBTQ+-centric affinity spaces at New Student Convocation, Kinchen said. Lavender Orientation, which in the past was only offered only at Fall Welcome2Mason, will now also be offered during the spring event.

The LGBTQ+ Residential Learning Community will, for the first time, participate in Virginia PrideFest in Richmond in September. And the Safe Zone+ workshops that have been available at Mason Korea for three years will now have facilitators trained from within the Mason Korea community.

It is the kind of proactive atmosphere that attracted Sunny Sellers to Mason.

“Mostly I was looking for a place I could flourish,” said Sellers (they/them), a sophomore social work major who is also a student coordinator at the LGBTQ+ Resources Center. “As an LGBTQ+ person, I was really trying to find somewhere where I saw people like me and be in a place that accepted and respected me.”

It is an ongoing, evolving process, Kinchen said.

“We continue to think about new and innovative ways to engage our community, because we have more students identifying as part of that community, and because of the community’s complexity and vibrancy,” Kinchen said.

Campus Pride Index 2023

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Mason one of 28 schools leading the way by admitting and graduating low-income, high-achieving students

Colleen Rich — Fri, 26 May 2023 17:03:38 +0000

Mason one of 28 schools leading the way by admitting and graduating low-income, high-achieving students Colleen Rich Fri, 05/26/2023 - 13:03

��ӽ紫ý has earned the American Talent Initiative (ATI) High-Flier distinction as one of 28 colleges or universities that provide “transformative leadership in college access and success for lower-income students, serving as a model for colleges and universities across the country.”

Mason graduates at Spring Commencement 2023. Photo by Ron Aira/Office of University Branding

Mason is the only Virginia university to receive the honor, announced Tuesday by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Among the criteria were Mason serving students who receive Pell Grants and innovative recruitment, enrollment and retention practices that ATI will highlight to other four-year colleges and universities.

About 29% of Mason students qualify for federal Pell Grants because of financial need. The press release about the High-Flier recognition notes that since joining the ATI in 2019, Mason has “maintained one of the highest Pell shares among its 137 peers.”

“We share the urgency of ATI’s mission to prioritize access and outcomes,” Mason President Gregory Washington said. “We must provide opportunities for students of all backgrounds and then work with them so they graduate poised for success. It’s not just about getting them in, it’s about getting them out.”

The 28 high-flier universities include institutions of varying sizes, among them Princeton, Yale, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, the University of Michigan and the University of Texas.

The ADVANCE partnership with Northern Virginia Community College, the Mason Virginia Promise (and MVP Grant), and the Early Identification Program are among Mason initiatives that support enrolling and graduating students from low-income families and closing equity-based retention and graduation disparities.

“��ӽ紫ý has worked hard to achieve these outcomes for students, and we are launching new programs to enhance these efforts, such as Direct Admission, where we partner with area high schools to offer admission to qualified students without a formal application,” said David Burge, Mason vice president for enrollment management. “The High-Flier recognition from ATI is further validation that Mason is a bridge of opportunity that connects potential with academic and career success.”

In 2021, ATI cited Mason for growing its number of Pell Grant-receiving students by the fifth-largest total in the country over a five-year period. ATI is a partnership among Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program and Ithaka S+R.

"The economic fallout from the pandemic has made it even more important for schools across the country to adopt innovative new ways to attract and retain students from under-represented backgrounds," said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and 108th mayor of New York City, in the High-Flier press release.

“I applaud ATI's 28 High-Fliers for leading the way in this work and increasing the diversity of their campuses,” Bloomberg continued. “We hope their efforts serve as an example for other schools that are committed to creating opportunity for more lower-income students, so we can accelerate national progress on this critical challenge.”

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Finding Mason’s voice en español

Colleen Rich — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 15:26:34 +0000

Finding Mason’s voice en español Colleen Rich Wed, 01/25/2023 - 10:26

If you recently caught a glimpse of the familiar green and gold on the side of a Northern Virginia bus, you may have also noticed something new. Since May 2022, Mason has invited the families of prospective Hispanic students to learn about the university in its first Spanish-language marketing campaign.

The campaign features Spanish-language posters on buses and at Virginia Rail Express and Metro stations in Northern Virginia, as well as social media advertising and radio marketing aimed at the Hispanic community in the greater Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland area. The models in the ads are all Mason students.

In addition, radio marketing has included commercials during 2022 World Cup coverage and Spanish-language faculty interviews, which received an overwhelmingly positive response.

Spanish speakers are invited to learn more about Mason via a Spanish web presence, or to call for more information. The Office of Admissions and Enrollment and Office of University Branding, which operates the university switchboard, have both hired bilingual phone attendants to welcome callers and connect them with the offices that can help them.

Mason enrolls and graduates the largest percentage and number of Hispanic students among Virginia and Maryland public universities, which makes the expansion into Spanish-language marketing even more important.

“The Hispanic populations in Virginia and at Mason have both increased significantly in recent decades,” said Eric Woodall, associate vice president of brand marketing for the Office of University Branding. “This campaign is part of our efforts to better highlight our current Hispanic student population and ensure that prospective families have materials in Spanish to help them make informed decisions.”

“We are starting a lasting dialogue with households headed by those who may not be conversant in or comfortable speaking English, and are looking for way-finding to get their sons and daughters to and through college,” said Paul G. Allvin, Mason vice president and chief brand officer. “Our messaging mirrors what these families tell us they look for and find in a Mason education: flexibility, affordability, safety, and the existence of their own culture in campus life.”

Despite a nationwide increase in Hispanic college students, Hispanic young people are still the least likely among their peers to be enrolled in college or have a bachelor’s degree, according to the Pew Research Center. Taking this into account, the campaign’s first phase focused on raising parent awareness of Mason’s commitment to diversity and accessibility.

“What comes next for us is maintaining our presence in terms of Spanish-language advertising and looking to expand and strengthen our partnerships with Hispanic community organizations,” Woodall said.

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Meet Melissa J. Perry, the new dean of the College of Health and Human Services

Colleen Rich — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 17:21:29 +0000

Meet Melissa J. Perry, the new dean of the College of Health and Human Services Colleen Rich Mon, 08/29/2022 - 13:21

Melissa J. Perry, the new dean of ��ӽ紫ý’s College of Health and Human Services, recently sat down to discuss her personal and academic background, her vision for the college, and her approach to lifelong learning.

Dean Melissa J. Perry joined Mason August 1. Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services

Perry served as professor and chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health in the George Washington University Milken School of Public Health. She also recently completed an assignment in Albania as a Fellow in the Fulbright International Education Program for Global Scholars working to build public health capacity in that country.

CHHS is in the process of becoming a college of public health. Why is this transition important to Mason, the region, and the world?

Having a College of Public Health in the commonwealth will benefit those who live in the state and the region in many tangible ways. We will continue to engage with communities to improve health equity and access; foster workforce readiness and expand the pipeline of health care workers; and generate groundbreaking interdisciplinary research. Equity and inclusion will be at the center of all we do.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Mason is the place to launch the first College of Public Health in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

How has the pandemic underscored the impact that a College of Public Health could have?

The timing of launching the College of Public Health is essential. Infectious disease experts predicted decades before that we would face a pandemic. But in the United States, we were caught off guard because over the past two decades the jobs in public health have been reduced by at least 200,000. So investments in public health had been deteriorating. This pandemic has now made epidemiology, emerging infections and public health household terms that are fully recognized and that the importance of which are understood.

The pandemic also brought to the forefront long-standing disparities in access to health care in underserved populations who were severely impacted by COVID-19. While public health practitioners and care providers have recognized and sought to address health equity for decades, the pandemic increased awareness within the public.

The college has extensive outreach into the greater community. What role does and should the college play in the region?

During COVID, the university’s ability to respond in a health crisis, and the college’s ability to respond to community needs as it related to testing and vaccinations, has just been remarkable. And that is just one example of the significant example of the role the college can and will play within the region.

Imagine in five to ten years being able to reflect on the growth in leaders in public health having been trained here—leaders in health care, nursing, social work, nutrition, epidemiology, community health, and global health. Imagine being able to say, yes, the arrival of the College of Public Health was the conduit through which a whole generation of new public health leaders were equipped to provide care and advise on policy, and make decisions about how to keep the population as healthy as possible, and how to make it accessible and equitable.

Has the pandemic increased student interest in pursuing careers in public health?

In the last two years, applications to programs and schools of public health across the country have increased by 16%. So that’s an inordinate number of students nationally who have decided based on the upheaval and the profound disruption of the pandemic to go into public health. Public health and health care careers are the fastest-growing occupations in the country, with a projection of an increase in more than 2 million jobs in the next decade.

In terms of locally and within the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is a nursing crisis, and there is a health care provider crisis. That is why the college is integrally involved in several workforce initiatives to prepare the next generation of leaders across many disciplines, including health informatics, nursing, public health, and social work. We’ll be able to rise to even more of that demand, caring for disenfranchised and marginalized communities, as well as addressing preventive care and the mental and behavioral health problems that most of the country has experienced.

You’ve said that the college has an important role to play in advancing health as a human right. How so?

��ӽ紫ý is about inclusivity. The university welcomes at least a third of students who are low income, at least 40% who are first-generation college students. That is very unique. And that’s, I believe, a reflection of innovation and forward thinking. What better a way to achieve health as a human right than to ensure anyone who wants an education in public health, anybody who is interested in being part of the solution, to have access to a top-notch education?

You grew up in rural Vermont, six miles from the Canadian border, and attended the University of Vermont on a Pell Grant. Could you have envisioned this career arc, with stops at Johns Hopkins and Harvard and now becoming a dean?

My teenager friends and I would sit around in our tiny town and we would say: Can you imagine ever driving in Burlington? And I would say, no way, I’m not going to drive in Burlington! That’s going to be too scary and too complicated. So it was a really transformative experience to step foot on the University of Vermont campus to study psychology and soon be turned on to the idea of public health and mental health and the prevention of mental disorders. My experiences help me appreciate the variety of perspectives that our students bring to their education.

As your career has advanced you’ve sought training in management and leadership and now you’re completing your MBA at Mason. Why is this important to you at this stage of your career as an accomplished scientist and public health leader?

What I’ve learned is that oftentimes researchers and academics get hired into positions of leadership not based on their leadership skills or even their attitude but solely for their aptitude. If you want to be a good leader you should be willing to continually learn and adapt. Everything I’ve learned throughout my career and more recently through my MBA program has a direct impact on my daily approach to leadership. If one has a spirit of inquiry, a thirst for new knowledge and curiosity about ways of approaching new problems, then lifelong learning becomes the catalyst for both happiness and success.

The College of Health and Human Services is now the College of Public Health

The College of Public Health at ��ӽ紫ý brings an inclusive approach to public health education, research, and practice. More than 60% of the College of Public Health student body is from historically underrepresented groups, and 38% of its undergraduates are first-generation college students.

Learn how Mason is advancing public health for Virginia and beyond

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Melissa J. Perry, Sc.D., MHS

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Mason’s First-Gen+ Center helps students navigate the university experience

Colleen Rich — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 14:05:14 +0000

Mason’s First-Gen+ Center helps students navigate the university experience Colleen Rich Wed, 07/20/2022 - 10:05

First-Gen+ Center Assistant Director Nakia Waters works with Mason student Dung Ngo. Photo by Ron Aira/Creative Services

��ӽ紫ý prides itself on its diversity and the number of first-generation college students it attracts. To help first-generation college students navigate a large university, Mason’s University Life created the First-Gen+ Center in 2021 to provide resources, mentoring and programming.

The First-Gen+ Center’s mission is to support students who are historically underrepresented in higher education and their allies, while specifically focusing on students who identify as first-generation, who identify as undocumented, have refugee status, or belong to families with limited income.

In 2020, about 26% of Mason students described themselves as first-generation college students. About 7,500 currently enrolled Mason students are connected to the First-Gen Center.

“We take seriously our role in helping students who might not otherwise have the chance [to] pursue their higher education with success,” said Amber Holton-Thomas, director of the center. “The University Life vision is that ‘every student succeeds,’ and one big way our office helps is by demystifying the university process.”

Housed in Student Union Building I on the Fairfax Campus, The First-Gen+ Center can trace its roots to the Student Transition Empowerment Program (STEP), which began in 1990 as the Summer Transition Program. Back in person this summer for the first time since the pandemic, STEP was Mason’s first effort to help first-generation college students get acclimated to the college experience by providing academic preparation, career exploration, and empowerment activities the summer before beginning college. STEP joined University Life in 2005.

As Mason administrators determined how best to leverage the university resources, the First-Gen+ Center, which is, was created in 2021.

President Gregory Washington has emphasized the importance to Mason of its first-generation students.

“We've always prided ourselves on putting students first, and they have truly shown us what they are made of,” Washington told an audience in EagleBank Arena during his investiture address. “Most of our students hail from historically disenfranchised communities—three out of 10 are first-generation. They have a vision for a better life for themselves, their families and their communities, and they are not strangers to adversity, occasional rejection, and hard work.”

In addition to organizing STEP, the First-Gen+ Center, which is housed in Student Union Building I on the Fairfax Campus, facilitates scholarships, offers one-on-one discussion sessions, oversees a mentoring program, creates programming for First-Gen Week, coordinates training related to undocumented students, hosts community building events and sends out a weekly newsletter to students on the mailing list.

The center has both professional and student staff; the latter work in the office or volunteer as mentors and tend to be first-generation college students themselves, intent on giving back, said Holton-Thomas.

Oliver Yu, a first-generation college student and Mason junior majoring in computational and data sciences, agreed.

“The students that work within the First-Gen+ Center are passionate in their roles and look for ways to best utilize them to help others,” said Yu, who worked for the center as a research assistant.

Mason’s definition of a first-generation college student includes someone whose parent or legal guardian(s) did not receive or complete post-secondary education, or who received a two-year degree or earned any level of post-secondary school outside the United States.

“Sometimes we have Mason students come up to us and realize that they are also first-generation college students because of how we define it,” Holton-Thomas said. “Just because, for example, someone’s parents got an advanced degree outside the U.S. doesn’t mean they understand or have experience with navigating the U.S. college system, so we are here to help.”

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Student Transition Empowerment Program STEP

Spirit Fall 22

Mason earns top honors from Campus Pride Index

Melanie Balog — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 13:40:00 +0000

Mason earns top honors from Campus Pride Index Melanie Balog Thu, 06/02/2022 - 09:40

Mason is one of only 29 universities in the U.S. to receive the highest distinction from the Campus Pride Index.

��ӽ紫ý has been recognized as a “five-star premier campus” by Campus Pride Index, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to creating safer LGBTQ-friendly learning environments at colleges and universities.

Mason is one of only 29 U.S. institutions, out of 454 evaluated, with a five-star premier ranking, one of only three in the South, and the only one in Virginia.

Additionally, Mason is one of just 40 four-year campuses across the country, and the only public institution in Virginia, recognized by Campus Pride in its "Best of the Best" list of LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities in the United States. It also is one of only four institutions nationally to score a perfect 100 on the Athletic Equity Index, which examines how NCAA Division I institutions support LGBTQ student-athletes.

“At a university like ours, which is committed to access and welcoming to all, this sends a huge signal to our existing and prospective students,” said Rose Pascarell, vice president for University Life.

An LGBTQ chalk drawing at Mason.
Photo by Evan Cantwell/Creative Services

“Particularly for the LGBTQIA community, students and parents are often looking for signs,” she added. “That ranking sends a message to students and family and friends that Mason is not just trying to create a welcoming environment, but our practices and policies reflect that.”

Mason has been a leader in creating an LGBTQ+-friendly campus.

The university’s LGBTQ+ Resources Center has operated for 20 years and provides leadership and mentoring programs, and a clothing resource for trans and non-binary students. Mason’s student-led Pride Alliance, the oldest of several LGBTQ+ student organizations on campus, is dedicated to ensuring a safe, accepting space for LGBTQ+ students to live and meet.

Mason’s Living Learning Communities, including the LGBTQ+ Living Learning Community, allow like-minded students to live in the same residence hall, fostering connections and creating access to resources. The university also has a gender-inclusive housing policy for students living outside the Learning Community.

And Mason’s long-running annual “Drag Show,” held at the end of Mason’s PRIDE Week in the spring, draws hundreds of students to a celebration of the movement toward human rights for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

“I knew the university promotes a lot of its diversity initiatives,” said William Barker, a freshman cyber security engineering major, who during the next academic year will be the chair of Mason’s Queer Student Leadership Council. “It was a factor because I wanted to make sure I was going to be comfortable at the school I was going to.”

Juniper Mortimer, a rising junior majoring in government and international politics and a peer mentor with the LGBTQ+ Resources Center, said they were bolstered during the pandemic lockdown, when the resources center and Pride Alliance held virtual events so LGBTQ+ students could interact.

“I have been able to make all of my friends and connections,” Mortimer said, “and the Pride Index is a very good indicator that there is a space for anybody on Mason’s Campus.”

��ӽ紫ý LGBTQ+ Resources Center staff and volunteers at the Capital Pride Festival in Washington, DC.
photo credit: University Life

Most important, said Josh Kinchen, director of the LGBTQ+ Resources Center, is not treating the LGBTQ+ community as a monolith, because it intersects with every demographic.

“We’re working with folks with all the pieces of their identity — undocumented, first-gen, veterans — instead of seeing them only in their sexuality and gender,” Kinchen said. “For an institution of our size and prestige, that is incredibly unique. But we can’t do it any other way, and that’s why we’ve had so much success.”

As for the index, “It shows that there is a true vibrancy here that we can prove.,” he said. “But it’s also a tool for us to hold ourselves accountable to say we have to live up to this now.”

So far, so good, Mortimer said.

“Mason has one of the most accepting and diverse environments I’ve been part of,” they said. “It’s been an amazing experience. If you’re looking for something like that, definitely come to Mason.”

Visit the LGBTQ Resource Center

Events

6/3/2023 Fairfax Pride

8/23/2023 Lavender Orientation

10/2/2023 LGBTQ+ History Month Kickoff

4/30/2024 Pride Week Drag Show

4/23/2024 Lavender & Women and Gender Studies Graduation

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Visit the LGBTQ Resource Center

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Hit the ice with ��ӽ紫ý Ice Hockey Club

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